Grant Logue (left) serves regular customer Phil. Grant and his family are gearing up for their busiest time of the year. Photo: Supplied.
On the second day of our 12 days of what Christmas means to me series, we meet Grant Logue, who is probably one of the most popular people in the Illawarra at Christmas.
Christmas is a big deal for Grant Logue’s family and an even bigger deal for his business.
For many people, particularly those in the northern Illawarra, his shop, Harley & John’s Seafood at Fairy Meadow, is considered Mecca on 24 December, as customers line up to collect their fresh prawns, fish, and lobsters that will feature in thousands of Christmas Day feasts.
“It’s basically two shops at Christmas because we now set up a marquee at the back and serve straight from the cool room,” says Grant.
The demand is so high that not even a weak economy is expected to make a dent.
“Yeah, many people are doing it tough, but if it’s anything like Father’s Day, we’re expecting big crowds,” he says.
“I think after a year of tight budgeting, people feel at Christmas they deserve a little leeway to go wild and buy whatever food that translates to joy and celebration.”
His average Saturday staff number about seven people, but that will grow to 25 on 24 December, with friends and family pitching in to help.
23 December is now also a day customers can pick up orders.
“For the past three years we’ve invited local boutique vendors to set up stalls for free along our pathway beside the shop with produce such as mayonnaise, locally distilled liquors, cherries, salamis and even dog treats, and it’s getting more popular every year,” says Grant.
The Christmas market at Harley and John’s Seafood gets more popular ever year. Photo: Supplied.
But even with this seasonal tsunami of customers that requires almost military precision to manage, Grant has set in place a well-defined routine to relax and enjoy Christmas with his family.
“My wife Linda and I have two sons, Jonothan and Jackson, who are 15 and 14 and we’ve stuck to the adage ‘you have to believe to receive’ so every Christmas we still head off for Santa pics,” says Grant.
“When our first boy was born, I went out and bought 25 frames, and every year their Santa pic goes up on a special wall in our house, and if I have my way, it will continue until they fill every frame – it’s a lovely way to show and remember the changes in the boys over the years.”
The starting gun for family festivities fires soon after they knock off on 24 December and prepare to head to Grant’s father-in-law’s house for dinner.
“On Christmas Day it’s then off to my parents’ house with my extended family. After a year of working with seafood every day, I usually go for the ham and turkey for a bit of a treat,” says Grant.
After lunch and a couple of drinks, it’s home for a well-deserved afternoon siesta because early the next morning he’ll be on his way to Sydney Fish Market.
“We open on Boxing Day for all the people who don’t have the storage to include Boxing Day in their celebrations,” he says.
For the former builder who has expanded a tiny shop into a thriving business, Christmas is about family, community and the fragrance of a Christmas tree.
“We put our tree up last week, and the minute you walk through the door you know it’s Christmas,” says Grant.
Harley & John’s is at 7 Daisy Street, Fairy Meadow. Christmas opening times are: 23 December: 9 am – 5:30 pm; 24 December: 6 am – 3 pm; Boxing Day: 9 am – noon. Click here to order Christmas seafood online.
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